Högutbildade ekonomistudenters minskade intresse för eget företagande
En studie av Företagsekonomistudenter på Södertörns Högskola
AbstractTo benefit the economic growth of a country, it is important for the inhabitants to make the decision to become business owners. Sweden today, apart from the rest of Europe, is facing a growing problem. The numbers of companies are growing, but the numbers of company owners are not. As a result of this, the employment is not able to develop under the same conditions, when the opportunities of employment decrease. Research shows, that the interest for owning a company among the Swedish youth has increased. However, it has not increased amongst the young and highly educated people. During a time where the numbers of college educated people are increasing and to that, the long-term educational programs are becoming more common, this becomes a serious problem for the future of Sweden. Among the young and highly educated there are the business graduates, which in theory are considered to possess the knowledge it takes to become the company owners of the future.The aim with this thesis is to, with a quantitative study, analyze the entrepreneurial propensity among highly educated business students. To fulfil the aim we will investigate five different variables; gender, family background, ethnical background, knowledge and experience and experienced risk. To collect this information we are searching for both quantitative and qualitative information.The implemented survey of 77 highly educated business students at Södertörns University College shows that the entrepreneurial propensity amongst the students is low. A difference can be seen between the students that are positive and the students that are negative to starting their own business. Amongst the students that are positive one can see that the propensity is higher in the variables of knowledge and experience and experienced risk. Furthermore, the results of the survey research show that family background and ethnical background have the least relevance to the entrepreneurial propensity.The conclusion explains the underlying factors that show that the reason why highly educated business students choose to become an employee rather then starting their own business is their low entrepreneurial propensity. What affects the students low entrepreneurial propensity and therefore their choice not to start their own business is the lack of knowledge in the area, both theoretical and practical. A larger practical knowledge leads to a decrease in the experienced risk relating to starting a business, which is the second important factor to why students choose employment rather than a business of their own.